When winter truly settles in for the long haul, dependable lighting solutions become less of a want and more of a need. For many daily commuters, the workday begins with a cold dark drive to the office and ends with a cold dark drive back home. And for those who enjoy outdoor activities - especially hunting in rural locations - having upgraded halogen bulbs or a fresh LED lighting kit on their rig can mark the difference of bagging a nine-point buck or smashing into one.
Falling snow can easily obscure your field of vision. But even when it’s safely plowed to the side of the road, those big white piles can play havoc with perspective, covering painted lines and blocking important street signs in the process. Clearly seeing what’s in front of you – as well as what’s further down the road – is key to safe driving.
Before you run out to find the brightest bulb on the parts store shelf though, it’s worth brushing up on headlight technology. A lot has changed in just the past few years, and the most innovative option might not be the best for your ride.
A Quick Guide to Automotive Lighting Technology
There are three main types of lighting technology on the market today: halogen, high-intensity discharge (HID), and light-emitting diode (LED).
Halogen
Just like an incandescent light bulb in your living room, halogens use a heated tungsten filament to create light. The color cast is typically yellowish.
This is the oldest, and therefore still most common, lighting tech on the road today. Thanks to the long track record, halogen lights have grown both inexpensive and powerful over the years – two solid qualities in vehicle manufacturing. However, they also consume a lot of energy and emit a lot of heat, which earns them poor marks from environmentalists and safety advocates.
HID
Much like their name suggests, high-intensity discharge (HID) lights are about 2.5-3x more powerful than halogens, emitting a brighter and whiter light that is excellent at illuminating things far in the distance.
While HIDs require a high voltage to start, they draw low amps during operation. This makes them more energy efficient than halogens. HIDs also have no delicate filament inside, since they use xenon gas, which makes them more durable.
Unfortunately, HIDs are significantly more expensive – and because they are so bright, are sometimes restricted to off-road-use-only by state law.
LED
Compact but powerful, with a long lifespan, energy-efficient operation and respectable durability, LEDs have emerged as the Goldilocks lighting technology in recent years. In fact, LED lighting is now the new standard in vehicle manufacturing. Though, like HIDs, they can be very bright. Street-legal LED headlights cannot exceed 3,000 lumens.
This type of lighting relies on a more sophisticated technology to function, applying an electrical charge through semiconducting material which then emits photons, or light.
Originally launched on higher-trim models due to their higher price tag, LEDs are beginning to stabilize in affordability. It’s not uncommon to find them cropping up on entry-level vehicles.
Now that you understand the basic differences, let’s talk replacements.
Headlight Improvements & Upgrades
Replacing bulbs can seem like a sober upgrade compared to a nice new wheel & tire package or suspension lift, but it’s nevertheless an important one to make.
Based on the information above, it’s easy to think HIDs and LEDs are the best option when upgrading headlights; but consumer testing shows that plenty of halogen bulbs still offer exceptional forward illumination. In fact, depending on alignment and housing, sometimes halogens offer better forward seeing distance than their high-tech counterparts.
This is because halogens, LEDs, and HIDs all emit light in different ways. Conversion kits may allow you to make a safe swap to something different, but they don’t change the fact that the factory housing was specifically designed around the qualities – and limitations – of a certain type of bulb.
A new light in an old housing might shine brighter, but the beam could be less focused or the spread less accurate. As a result, you will usually see LED and HID bulbs labeled as “only legal for on-road use as a fog light replacement.”
CAPTION: Replacement bulb options extend beyond headlights and taillights. New LED mini bulbs can replace dim yellow or amber turn signals with a crisp bright light that will illuminate faster and last longer than most factory equipment.
To ensure the best upgrade -- and DOT-compliance -- short of swapping out the entire assembly, it is recommended to replace like with like. So, if your vehicle currently runs halogens, updating to a higher-quality aftermarket halogen bulb will deliver the safest results. And if you’re looking for a halogen bulb with HID or LED-like clarity, we have two suggestions for you:
Sylvania SilverStar Ultra
A top-rated product, the Sylvania SilverStar Ultra features a special coil design and halogen gas mixture that make it the brand’s brightest down-road halogen headlight bulb. A patented tri-band blue coating produces a whiter light for improved contrast and clarity.
HELLA HP 2.0
Similar to Sylvania, HELLA employs a proprietary gas formulation and special filament to pack HID/LED-level performance into a halogen bulb. Brighter and whiter, these bulbs provide better down-road and side-road visibility, thereby improving driver safety and reaction time. An added bonus? HELLA’s HP 2.0 bulbs are available in a kit form that includes gloves and dielectric grease for the connectors, ensuring a simple DIY.
Both of these brands are good place to start when shopping LED/HID replacements as well. Other names synonymous with quality are Philips, OSRAM, Putco, ORACLE, JW Speaker and ANZO USA.
Headlight Cleaning & Restoration
Whether or not a bulb upgrade is on your winter agenda, some TLC definitely should be.
Your headlights see some stuff this time of year (no pun intended), so regularly clearing snow, ice, and filthy road gunk from the housing is a great first step to improved visibility. Hitting the car wash throughout the season is a good idea as well.
If your vehicle’s headlights still look dirty and yellowish even after a good washing, something stronger is in order. Plenty of your favorite car care brands like Meguiar’s, Mother’s, Turtle Wax and Chemical Guys, make quality headlight cleaners and polishes that will help remove cloudiness and thin scratches.
These companies also create stronger solutions that tackle more serious signs of oxidation and damage. Generally offered as a complete headlight restoration kit, they include everything you need to sand, buff, polish and seal the headlight lenses.
Don’t forget that being seen by other drivers is just as important as seeing them. Improving headlight performance will ensure winter visibility extends both ways.